Boucher defends decision to still take Faf to India

Mark Boucher was too happy with his side whitewashing Australia 3-0 in their ODI series to tell them to ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ but the Proteas coach was nevertheless warning that playing India on their own turf will be an entirely different challenge ahead of South Africa’s departure on Sunday.

The Proteas take on India in three ODIs from Thursday, brimming with confidence after their magnificent performances against a powerful Australian outfit, all achieved without players such as Kagiso Rabada, Rassie van der Dussen and Faf du Plessis.

“We’ve just beaten a very good team which certainly gives us a lot of confidence, but India is going to be a tough test in very different
conditions. But what impressed me in the Australia series was the way the guys responded to what we were telling them, there was a change in mindsets. A lot of players stepped up, guys through the team took their opportunity which gives me a selection headache but it’s a good place to be.

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“But India is going to be a very tough challenge, we’ve got to keep climbing up. One swallow does not make a summer and we’ve just climbed the one rung of the ladder.

“We adapted very well to Australia’s strengths in ODI cricket, the players bought into the plan very well which is why they were more consistent. We won 3-0 so obviously I’m very satisfied, but we always want to grow more,” Boucher said after the last match in Potchefstroom on Saturday.

While impressive new opener Janneman Malan has rightly been added to the squad – especially in the light of the doubts over whether hamstrung Temba Bavuma is going to be able to play, there has been some speculation over whether veteran former captain Du Plessis should be going to India, what with Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Kyle Verreynne all scoring good runs against Australia.

Faf du Plessis of Multiply Titans batting during the Momentum One Day Cup match between Multiply Titans and Warriors at Willowmoore Park on March 06, 2020 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images)

But Boucher strongly defended the decision to select the 35-year-old Du Plessis, who was afforded an innings in the domestic One-day Cup on Friday with the Titans, only to fail yet again.

“Going to India, you need a balance of youth and experience and Faf has done very well there and he scored a hundred in his last ODI. We know he knows the conditions over there very well and just him being around the squad will help a lot. He has so much experience, why wouldn’t you want to have him in the team?

“We’re in a good position that guys on the edge of selection are putting their hands up and it was especially good to see Janneman put his hand up with Temba not being 100% fit. He’s one of the youngsters coming through and it’s good to see. We’ll just have to choose the best players for the conditions,” Boucher said.

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